Casino Royale is a landmark in popular culture, the first ever novel to feature a certain British secret service agent – his name’s Bond. James Bond. Ian Fleming’s Bond is far superior to the Bond in the movies, he’s a fallible human being instead of an action star, and at times you wonder how the hell he’s going to get through it.

This first book is particularly brutal in places, showing a darker side than you ever saw on the silver screen. When you’re reading a novel about international espionage, that’s a good thing – it’s all substance, a thriller that will keep you turning page after page until you reach the satisfying conclusion.

You’ll love the real, raw Bond, too – he’s a fascinating character and a pleasure to read about, especially if you let any preconceptions go and just enjoy Fleming’s writing as a work of art in its own right. Who needs movies when you can read a paperback instead? Not me.